Broken Hyourinmaru
by Swanfrost15
Summary: After a fight with a fallen Espada, Hyourinmaru shatters, leaving his master with only a hilt. That night, Toshiro gets visited by the Wish Granter, and strikes a deal with her. How will Toshiro be able to rebuild the bonds he's had for so long? Takes place after Aizen and Co. left. Mostly Bleach. Slight cursing. Four/five-shot
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys. This story just randomly popped into my head one day and I decided to write it. Yes, I do know that this is very short. Only 2 pages of a Word document! Those of you following Execution Order… Well…I'm sort of stuck on that, so you'll have to wait a little! Enjoy the story. And please leave a review!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"Come on out little captain! I know you're hiding!" the espada sneered, his spiked tail lashing out, knocking down several trees in the process. The espada was already in its released form and it resembled some kind of scorpion. His mask curved around his head and over his shaggy black hair like an oversized crown, and two large horns curved from the sides. Hard bone-like armor covered his hands and bare feet, which arched to become poison-tipped claws. On his chest, right underneath his hollow hole, the number 106 was imprinted.

The espada looked up and saw a flash of white in one of the trees. He grinned devilishly, and sonidoed up, tail poised to strike. The espadas red eyes suddenly interlocked with icy turquoise eyes. _Those eyes,_ he thought. _So…-_ His thought was cut off when he saw a blade at his throat. "Reign over the frozen heavens, Hyourinmaru!" Ice shot out of the tip, first closing over the clawed hand reaching for the blade, then slowly inching up to cover the whole body. As the ice began to slowly cover the tail, a drop of midnight poison dripped onto the blade. Then the ice shattered, leaving nothing but powdered snow.

Hitsugaya Toshiro stepped out of the shadows, pushing his white hair back and surveying the damage. "Well, that should be the last of them," he said, glancing up. Moments later, his lieutenant appeared behind him.

"Taicho! We've gotten ours!" she said, her eyes bright. Rangiku noticed that her captain was being unusually quiet. Usually he would nod or something, but he stayed still. "Taicho, what's wrong?" she asked, stepping closer.

"Matsumoto, stay back."

"But…"

"NOW."

Rangiku had only heard this tone a few times before, and she knew it meant business. "O...Ok" She took an uncertain step back, then shunpoed back a few meters.

The chibi captain sighed. He could feel something was wrong. But what? He gripped Hyourinmaru's hilt harder, and just as he was about to bring it up, the blade shattered. Turquoise dust fluttered to the ground, and in a tiny flash of blue light, it was gone. Just like that.

Toshiro stood rigid with shock. He didn't even acknowledge the woman behind him. "Taicho! What- what happened to Hyourinmaru? Taicho!"

For a second, Toshiro didn't respond. Then he straightened. "Matsumoto, I'm fine." He *sheathed* what was left of Hyourinmaru. _I can't feel him anymore. Where is he? He couldn't have died! That's impossible! _His mind's eye suddenly saw the moment when that drop of poison splattered onto Hyourinmaru. _So that's what happened. I can't believe I didn't see that!_

"Taicho?" Rangiku asked nervously. The captain sighed. He would ask Kurotsuchi about it later. "I'm fine. Let's go back. Call the other groups in."

She nodded and her hell butterfly flew to her. While his lieutenant was doing that, Toshiro jumped down from the tree and began inspecting the damage. _Just how powerful could that poison be? How could it be so strong that it would break such a powerful zanpakuto? _He just couldn't understand. Something white in the bushes caught his eye. As Toshiro walked over, he saw it was the poison-tipped end of the espadas tail. The only part that was left. He was just about to pick it up when he suddenly felt somewhat woozy. His eyes began to flicker and the last thing he heard was his annoying lieutenant screaming, "Taicho!" before he blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here's Chapter 2. Reviews please?  
**

**Enjoy!**

_Last Time:_

_His eyes began to flicker and the last thing he heard was his annoying lieutenant screaming, "Taicho!" before he blacked out. _

* * *

He suddenly found himself in a dark, quiet world, where there seemed to be no one but himself. _Am I dying? _He wondered, and then allowed himself a small laugh. What a stupid thought. If he died, wasn't he supposed to be reborn? But something was nagging him. He walked in the utter darkness for some time, not really sure where he was going or what he was doing. A sudden burst of energy surprised him. Looking up, he saw woman dressed in flowing black robes walk towards him, a black swallowtail butterfly fluttering along, and both seemed to be outlined in a soft glowing white light, illuminating her face. He looked on with a confused expression, then opened his mouth to speak, but the strange lady beat him to it.

"You are Hitsugaya Toshiro, right?" Her voice was smooth and kind, yet they seemed to reflect a thousand years of wisdom, and had a ring of harshness to it.

"Who are you?" he asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. He reached back before realizing that his trusty sword wasn't there. Craning his neck back, Hitsugaya saw that the sheath was gone. Toshiro swung his head to face the stranger, who was holding the turquoise sheath in her hands, running them along the smooth, glistening surface.

"This is useless without the blade, which is the heart, is it not?" she inquired, tilting her head a bit.

Toshiro was very quiet, silently dreading what was going to come next. The woman spoke again. "I can grant your wish, for a price." Or not.

"What price?" Maybe there really was a way to get Hyourinmaru back.

"A zanpakuto is simply an extension of its wielder's soul, correct? Put simply, to gain something very important, you must lose something of the same value."

The captain grit his teeth. His intuition warned him that something bad was going to happen.

"Your…your memories. Your memories of Hyourinmaru. That will be the price."

Toshiro's eyes widened. "You can't be serious! Then…" he faltered for a moment, then met the strange woman's eyes. They were hard and unwavering, yet they also held some pity and kindness. Toshiro clenched his hands tight. "Is there any other way?" He asked desperately. Toshiro didn't want to finally get his soul companion back, just to find out that he didn't recall him at all. The woman shook her head. The captain went quiet again, his white haori swaying in a soft, strange breeze that had entered the dark void. He could hear someone calling his name, but the voice was too faint to make out. It was familiar somehow, and it urged him to make a decision. Not that he liked the choices.

"All right," he decided. "All right, I'll do it. But…but will I remember him in time?"

"If your bond is strong enough to break the spell. Will you?" A small smile graced her face, as if she was implying, yes, yes you can and yes you will.

"Yes I will," he said with difficulty.

She began to walk away, slowly fading into the folds of darkness.

Toshiro was content to let her go until a sudden thought struck him hard. "Wait!" the captain suddenly called, reaching out. "Wait! You haven't told me your name yet!"

The lady stopped and turned, a mysterious smile on her face once more. "Names are powerful things, little one." As she left, another gentle breeze blew through, and as Toshiro's vision began to flicker, he heard a whisper, _The Witch of Dimensions. The Wish Granter, _before everything disappeared.

**FIN Chapter 2**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Chapter three! Come on guys, review, I know you're reading this! I know this is super short, I promise the next chapter will be MUCH longer.  
Enjoy!

* * *

_Last time:_

_The lady stopped and turned, a mysterious smile on her face once more. "Names are powerful things, little one." As she left, another gentle breeze blew through, and as Toshiro's vision began to flicker, he heard a whisper, _The Witch of Dimensions_. _The Wish Granter_, before everything disappeared. _

* * *

He thought he heard someone call his name. Again. Who was it? A deep man's voice echoing through the depths of his soul, cold as ice yet as warm as fire. Strange. It seemed to be pleading him. Pleading him to do what? It came again, resonating through his body. _Master. Master. I am here. I am back. Master. Please wake up. _Who was this person, calling him? Then he heard another voice, this time higher. A girl's voice. _"Shiro-chan! Shiro-chan, please wake up!" _She was sobbing, he was sure of that. Who though…?

Suddenly, he jolted awake and bolted upright, surprising the two women in the room. Before he could come to his senses, the awakened captain was wrapped in a big bear hug.

"Shiro-chan! I'm so glad you're awake!" she sobbed

It took him a moment. "Hinamori?"

"Yes you idiot! Me!" Beside her, the busty lieutenant of the tenth division could help adding, "And me too!" Both started giggling loudly. Toshiro rolled his eyes. Women. He would never understand them. Sighing with annoyance, yet watching the two argue about something, he couldn't help the small smile that flickered on his face. His head still throbbed from-wait. What had happened? Closing his eyes, and taking a deep breath, Toshiro tried to recap on what had happened just a few hours before. Rangiku noticed the sudden change and asked, "Captain, what's wrong? Do I need to call Captain Unohana?"

"…No. I'm fine. Just thinking." He then successfully blocked out her worried rants, remembering. Oh yeah. That espada. The one he had to kill. Something happened, right? Something broke, he thought. Something important. That's when he blacked out, right? And then…and then what? Toshiro cursed inwardly. It was all darkness after that.

At that moment, the captain of the fourth division strolled in, pushing a covered cart along with her. The look on her face immediately told the child prodigy that Captain Unohana wasn't expecting her patient awake. She then proceeded to shoo the two women out of the room, promising that they could visit later.

"Good afternoon, Captain Hitsugaya. Feeling better?" she asked, wheeling the cart next to his bed.

"I guess so," he answered, watching the healer check the many machines surrounding him. After a little bit, his gaze traveled to the mysterious cart that was standing next to his bed. As Toshiro glared at it, the cart seemed to glare back, as if mocking him. Then, something underneath the blanket caught his eye.

The fourth division captain noticed her patient eye the cart strangely. It reminded her of the time those eleventh division members came in a few weeks ago, glaring at each other as if it was the other person's entire fault. She smiled softly, then managed to make her way towards the cart, pulling the blanket off, revealing a long sword. The sheath was a stunning turquoise blue, making Toshiro gasp suddenly. His eyes traveled towards the hilt, and he realized it was also turquoise, just a little darker. The guard was a bright yellow four-point star. It seemed to glimmer, as ice would in the sunlight. And it seemed to be calling him.

_Master. _

Who was that person? Toshiro shook his head slightly, attempting to shut the voice away. Unohana noticed his confused look and smiled again. "This is Hyourinmaru, your zanpakuto."

"I don't know anyone by that name."

"I thought you would say that!" In sauntered the owner of Urahara Shoten, laughing like there was no tomorrow. His shadowed eyes seemed even more dangerous, and his smile was hid by his ever present fan. "So my good friend Yuuko-san had your wish granted, and it seems the price was harsh, wasn't it?"

The captain didn't say anything, somewhat confused on where this conversation was going.

"Can you remember what happened? Can you remember what she said?" he continued, observing the small captain.

"Umm… something about memories. Price… damnit, I can't remember!" Toshiro snarled, eyes screwed shut.

Grinning wildly, Kisuke snatched the long sword lying on the cart and shoved it in the captain's face. "Take it," he smirked, eyes flashing dangerously. "Take it. And see if you really are the master of Hyourinmaru!"

**FIN Chapter 3**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Chapter four, enjoy! I think there should be one more chapter. Thanks to everyone reading Broken Hyourinmaru!

_**d(Guest): **_Good point...I knew that…not. -.- I can't believe I never thought of that! Well, in that case, I'll 'explain' it in the next chapter. Thanks for the review!

_Last Time:  
__Grinning wildly, Kisuke snatched the long sword lying on the cart and shoved it in the captain's face. "Take it," he smirked, eyes flashing dangerously. "Take it. And see if you really are the master of Hyourinmaru!"_

* * *

Toshiro needed some peace and quiet. He wasn't going to get that back at the barracks, seeing that his damn lieutenant had planned a huge welcome back party. Damn, he could see the overly colorful streamers and balloons from the fourth division! Sighing wearily, he made his way to Sokyoku Hill, intending to find the training room hidden deep within the former execution hill. He faintly recalled Abarai saying something about it, and how he trained for bankai there. Flash-stepping across the maze-like streets, Toshiro fell deep in thought.

Hyourinmaru. That name felt strange on his tongue. Ice Ring. What had Urahara said? Oh yeah. _Take it and see if you really are the master of Hyourinmaru. _Whatever that meant. Something stirred within him, a small fire blazing. At first he was confused. Was he doing something wrong? The captain was so preoccupied in his thoughts that he had almost passed Sokyoku Hill. Gritting his teeth, he managed to land, but quite painfully. Straightening up, he started to walk.

Then, came the nausea. A wave of something dark slammed full force into him, causing him to stagger. Black spots danced across his vision, and he had to lean on the broken pillar of the former execution tool.

_No, master. This is the wrong place._

What was that voice?

_Let's go somewhere else._

_Where? _

_Just follow your heart._

_How cliché. _

_I'm serious. But not here. There's too much fire for my liking. _

_Then where? _

_I cannot tell you. Just not here._

Toshiro sighed, straightening up. He was less dizzy now, but he was still somewhat shaky. _Ok Toshiro, listen to the voice in your head and go somewhere else._ So off he went, flash-stepping towards the outer parts of Seireitei.

* * *

"Why isn't Captain here yet?" Rangiku whined, taking another swig of sake. She then proceeded to dump the rest down.

"Umm…Rangiku-san, Captain Hitsugaya probably just doesn't like the idea of a welcome back party," Renji said slowly, eying the now drunk woman cautiously.

"But…but Shiro-chan will LOVE this!" she squealed excitedly and quite drunkenly, not noticing the sighs and smiles that went around the room. Hinamori smiled brightly and opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the door sliding open.

Standing in the doorway of the office was the captain of the fourth division, her smiling face showing some worry. "Does anyone know where Captain Hitsugaya has gone?"

* * *

He landed in front of a small cave that was located close to the Shinigami Academy.

_Something's familiar about this place…but…what? Why do I feel like I belong here? _

**_**_**As if in a trance, he stepped into the dark cave, soon disappearing completely into the folds of darkness. It was a narrow, damp tunnel for a while, with water dripping off the ceiling. _Drip. Drip. Drip. _The deep musky smell that rolled off the walls told him that no one had come here in a long, long time. The temperature seemed to drop with every step, and to his bewilderment, a light snow had begun to fall. As he walked on, leaving light footprints in the soft snow, a flight of stairs going down appeared, seemingly leading down to nothingness. Hitsugaya walked down the stairs, feeling stronger every minute. All at once, the stairs ended and he found himself in a large cavern, with a huge lake, stretching out into the shadows.

_This…this place is definitely familiar. _

All of a sudden, he was in a barren ice field, with the occasional dead tree popping up here and there. Howling winds slammed into the tiny figure from all sides, bringing with it a horrific blizzard, a storm of blinding white, attacking the small figure that had intruded onto its territory. Toshiro had raised his arms, trying to shield himself from the growing storm.

_I-I don't understand! Why's there so much…malice? Why won't he just tell me who he is?" _

_Because you do not wish to accept me. Because you do not wish to **learn my name.**_

A sudden wave of intense pain shot through him, dragging him back into a memory, a memory lost in the depths of his mind.

_He had fallen asleep after meeting that strange woman at the sweet shop. And that night, he had dreamed again. Dreamed into a world of ice. A voice, rumbling in the distance. A voice like thunder, echoing, crushing, enveloping. A dragon. A magnificent dragon of ice standing before him, eyes the color of crimson blood. It had spoken, but what had it said? The howling wind swirled around him, bringing with it freezing snow. And then he had awoken._

_That lady. From the sweet shop. Shinigami. Become a shinigami. Right? _

_Then, another memory surfaced, and this time, he was in the exact cave he was in now. But there was someone else. Who? His friend. From the Academy. Right? What was his name? Kusaka, that's it. Kusaka. _

_They had been training here, together, trying to obtain their zanpakutos. Something had happened, right? Something strange, something that had never happened before. He remembered the ice field, the same one from all those years ago, when he met that strange lady. He remembered the same roaring voice, howling._

Echoing.

Crushing.

He remembered the same dragon. A breathtaking dragon of ice, spiraling around him, asking for acceptance. The same dragon that appeared in his dreams all those years ago. Snow had swirled around him, pelting him from all sides, but strangely, he didn't feel cold at all. That dragon had said something, something important. What was it? The dragon opened its mouth and roared. His turquoise eyes widened as the mythical creature spoke. 

"_My name is **HYOURINMARU!**"_

* * *

"What? Shiro-chan's missing? Since when?" Hinamori asked, eyes wide. Beside her, Rangiku sobered up and grew serious.

"Captain Hitsugaya _was _released today, but he was supposed to come straight to the tenth division barracks. But, Captain Soifon happened to sense his reiatsu heading toward Sokyoku Hill. When I went there to check on him, his reiatsu disappeared." Unohana informed them, glancing around the room. "I suppose Captain Hitsugaya hasn't been here, right?"

"No, do you think Shiro-chan's ok?" Momo questioned, looking a little scared. Rangiku gently pat the younger girl's back reassuringly. "Don't worry, Captain's strong. I'm sure he's alright."

At that moment, every single one of them felt a huge blast of captain-level power, and the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. Overhead, the blue sky immediately filled with dark storm clouds, and freezing rain began to pelt down, and following it was another blast of icy reiatsu that could have come from only _one_ captain. Captain Hitsugaya Toshiro.

* * *

Search parties were immediately sent out, with Soifon leading. The female captain was confident she had a clear path, but was becoming more and more confused as she followed the said path. Why? Well, because the reiatsu was coming from somewhere _outside_ of Seireitei. In fact, the aura was somewhere near the Shinigami Academy. _I wonder why…_Soifon mused, flash-stepping at top speed. _I did hear about Captain Hitsugaya "losing" his zanpakuto, but why would he choose the Shinigami Academy to train? _Deciding that she would find out, Soifon landed in front of a small cave that had a thin layer of ice blocking the entrance. A layer so thin that she could barely see it, only when sunlight was reflected. Before she broke the puny barrier though, she had to take care of something first.

"Lieutenant Matsumoto, why are you following me? You too, Lieutenant HInamori."

Nervous laughter reached her ears, then the soft shuffling of feet. "We apologize for following you, Captain Soifon, but we're worried about Captain Hitsugaya and were wondering if we could…"Rangiku trailed of, unsure of what to say.

Soifon "harrumphed", then, "Very well, you may follow me. But, do not get in my way or I will not hesitate to take you out."

"Yes ma'am!" The two lieutenants shouted, sending each other victory looks before following the captain into the folds of darkness.

It seemed endless. A dark tunnel that stretched on and on, and with every step, the air was getting colder. Hitsugaya's reiatsu just _pulsed _here.

They reached the staircase that lead down to the cavern, and _voila_, there was the tenth division captain, in full bankai mode, icy wings stretched out in all their glory. His spiked tail lashed out, creating another dent in the sturdy cave walls. The lake that stretched beyond their sights was encased in a thick layer of glittering ice, withstanding attack after attack from the ice zanpakuto.

"Captain!" Rangiku cried out, rushing to her superiors' side. Only to be met by half-crazed eyes. His hand was gripping Hyourinmaru's hilt so hard that it _bled_, crimson pools forming at his feet. She heard ragged pants from her captain, and placed a hand on an ice-laden shoulder.

"Captain. It's me, Rangiku! Captain, say something! Please, Captain!" the normally cheerful lieutenant begged, a small sliver of dread worming into her heart. Then, "M-Matsumoto?"

"Captain! Are you alright? Why are you here?"

Instinctively, Hitsugaya pushed his lieutenant away, bankai shattering. He dropped his sword, and it made a soft _clang_ as the blade hit the icy field. Then, he stumbled and fell into the arms of Rangiku, one name repeating over and over in his head.

_**Hyourinmaru.**_

* * *

Soifon had watched the whole scene unfold in front of her with bored yet alert eyes. She had heard a little about Hitsugaya's past, but this cave was not in the reports. Beside her, Momo gasped and rushed up to her childhood friend, eyes tearing up. Sighing, Soifon strode up to the group, and took the unconscious captain into her own arms and motioned for Rangiku to take the fallen zanpakuto. Soon, Hitsugaya was on her back, and all three of them flash-stepped out of the freezing cave, leaving behind the sound of shattering ice, a sound that chilled the bone.

When they returned to the fourth division barracks, Hitsugaya was hospitalized for the second time in a week. He had a severe case of frostbite that ran from his neck to shoulders to back down to his legs and arms and hands. Not to mention that both his hands were badly injured, and his reiatsu was running dangerously low. His throat was raw from screaming, or so Unohana predicted, and over all, suffered from extreme exhaustion.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine if he rests and follows my instructions," the healer said, reassuring the two woman.

In the shadows, two people were standing a quiet vigil over the unconscious captain, one a woman with flowing black hair and another a man fanning himself, eyes cheerful.

"Hey Yuuko-san, I thought a good price wasn't to be trifled with," the shopkeeper said, his hat shadowing his eyes.

Next to him, the woman laughed. "Foolish Kisuke. Hitsugaya didn't pay the price, at least, not entirely. Or else he would have lost his zanpakuto forever."

"Then, who?"

"I can't tell you. Some things must be kept secret."

The two stood looking over the still body for a minute more, then they seemed to vanish into the shadows, leaving no trace of them behind.

**FIN Chapter 4**

* * *

A/N: _**** I'm obviously making this up, so bear with me. **_

Longest chapter by far! Thanks for all the alerts, but please remember to review? A simple "nice job" would be enough.

I'm actually quite proud of the scene in the middle, where Toshiro has the flashback and all the epic stuff happens. Leave a review and tell me what you thought!


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Not the last chapter. If it was, then it would be too long. **_

_**Go vote on my poll if you haven't already. Please? **_

_**Enjoy! **_

* * *

_Last Time:_

"_Hey Yuuko-san, I thought a good price wasn't to be messed with," the shopkeeper said, his hat shadowing his eyes. _

_Next to him, the woman laughed. "Foolish Kisuke. Hitsugaya didn't pay the price, at least, not entirely. Or else he would have lost his zanpakuto forever."_

"_Then, who?" _

"_I can't tell you. Some things must be kept secret." _

_The two stood looking over the still body for a minute more, then they seemed to vanish into the shadows, leaving no trace of them behind._

* * *

Let us tread into the depths of the unknown, into a place many shinigami have not seen before, and have no wish to see. The rumors of vile deeds and strange happenings revolve around this place, the twelfth division laboratory. Now, the part where the low level shinigami are allowed into isn't that frightening, just rows of machinery and computers and things like that.

Deeper into this fortress is where the investigating happens, and that is where we are now, watching Kurotsuchi Mayuri do this and that with the white poison tipped tail of the espada Rangiku had dutifully collected.

A sample of the liquid contained inside the bone whirred out of a machine, and the captain snatched it up, observing it with a strange expression.

"Hmmmm…how _very _interesting. Strange, I have never seen this type of poison before. Is it something Aizen made?" Kurotsuchi cackled madly, shuffled through some papers, and abruptly lost his gleeful smirk. Akon, who was standing nearby, noticed the sudden change in character and asked, "What's wrong?"

The half-crazed captain did not reply as he looked through the papers, frown deepening and a dangerous aura vibrating off of him. Some of the lackeys looked at each other and shrugged, and Akon thought it probably had something to do with Urahara Kisuke, because the only time his captain acted this was because of the aforementioned shinigami or if someone messed with his experiments.

"Ahh…I can't believe it…do I actually have to ask that bastard for…for…_help?_" He spat out the last word menacingly, then whirled around and ordered Akon to contact his predecessor.

Meanwhile, Kisuke was having a nice chat with Ichigo, filling him in on everything he missed, when his phone rang. And it almost _never _rang, except for that time with the Bounts…anyways.

"Hello, you've reached the Urahara Shoten! How may I-"

"Captain wants you over here now."

"Why Akon, how nice of you to call-" But, before he could finish, Akon had already hung up on him. Kisuke sighed. _This was going to happen sooner or later…_

He was about to leave, but Ichigo stood up too. "Let me come too, Urahara-san."

~line break~

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was sitting at his mahogany desk, finishing up the last of the papers he had, when a swallowtail butterfly fluttered in, landing gracefully on his paper. A sudden feeling a dread washed over him, and when he brought his head up, the captain was met with quite a familiar sight: a Japanese lady dressed in flowing black robes that matched her hair and eyes, with white designs expertly stitched onto the robes.

Her very figure radiated _power_, even more than the head captain himself. He should know that. After all, he's experienced her abilities firsthand before.

Yuuko. The wish granter. The Witch of Dimensions.

Struggling to keep his emotions in check, the old man managed to ask: "Well, if it isn't the Wish Granter. What brings you here, across the dimensions?"

He was answered with a knowing smile. "There is a client here, as you might know. I usually don't give out this kind of information, but…"

"You should know very well that if a shinigami's zanpakuto were to break, then it would reform, after all, it is merely an extension of a shinigami's soul. Yet, you wonder, why I visited him within a dream, and grant his…'wish'". The soft snarl told her the answer.

"I shouldn't be telling you this, but since the loss of that child would have affected your battles to come,"

At this, Yamamoto's eyes hardened, becoming immediately suspicious. Yuuko completely ignored him.

"But, the poison running inside those espadas' veins was a present from me, paid of course by some one I'm sure you know." She glanced at the captain, whose expression transformed from confusion to surprise to horror. "You…you didn't…!"

"Aizen Souske. Don't look at me like that. I always stay neutral, and as long as a costumer can pay the price, the deal is made. After all, you and I have been 'acquaintances' before, have we not?"

As she was talking, she had walked around the room until she reached a small filing cabinet that was barely used; after all, he had a very faithful lieutenant who refused to burden his captain with paperwork. With one swift movement, Yuuko slid open the uppermost drawer. Yamamoto snorted in contempt.

"That filing cabinet has been empty for centuries! There's no way there's something in it!"

She only laughed as she tugged out a small package that was wrapped in a silky black ribbon. With quick, nimble hands, she undid the ribbon and watched it flutter gracefully down. Then, she placed the square package wrapped in plain brown paper onto Yamamoto's desk.

Hesitating, he picked it up with gnarled fingers and slowly unwrapped it, and as the brown paper slid away, it revealed a small envelope padded with a light Styrofoam. The white material fell onto the table, and when the Head Captain read the address, he realized it was for _him. _

Yuuko's eyes shone with amusement. "Go on, read it."

He gingerly picked up the envelope and opened it, cautiously, as if it was a ticking bomb, about to explode. Yamamoto then tugged out the paper after checking for any potential danger.

He wasn't aware of Yuuko's strange grin, or of the dust that slowly settled on the table.

_My Dear Head Captain, _

_It's interesting, isn't it, the way you think everything dances in the palm of your hands. Even me. I am pleased to inform you though, that there are even things out of your control. _

The old captain snorted. What did Aizen take him for, a fool?

_Take dear Yuuko, for instance. I hardly believe there is one more powerful than she; after all, she is the Witch of Dimensions, is she not? Even I, with the power of a God, may not be able to defeat her. _

_Yet, that does not mean we cannot strike a deal. By this time, you should already have figured out that Hyourinmaru's shattering was my doing. The price I paid…I think I shall keep a secret. _

Yamamoto glanced at Yuuko, who merely smiled. "You know perfectly well I do not give out my client's information."

_The espada I sent was equipped with something…very special. At about this time, I'm sure dear Kurotsuchi will kindly inform you on what exactly that thing was. _

_You might be wondering-_

Suddenly, the door flew open and startled, the old man looked up. He saw the twelfth division captain stand there, panting heavily, clutching a test tube and a sheaf of papers while Urahara Kisuke stood off to one side, looking amused.

An orange tuft of hair poked out from behind them, and the old man sighed. Why was Kurosaki Ichigo here? Then, the substitute shinigami suddenly howled out some profanities, and Yamamoto could almost imagine someone dragging him away. He hid a smile at that. The orange disappeared, and the two scientists stepped into the room.

Yuuko laughed softly, then stepped into the shadows.

"Head Captain, sir! I have found a strange liquid in the espada that might tell us why the zanpakuto shattered!" Kurotsuchi shouted, waving around the test tube. Behind him, Urahara merely looked amused, then glanced over to where Yuuko was standing. Yuuko smiled back. Yamamoto pretended not to notice, then turned his attention back to the mad scientist.

"Captain Kurotsuchi."

"Yes sir!"

"Calm down and start over. You were saying something about the poison in the espada…?"

Kurotsuchi nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, yes. The liquid, or poison, is mixed with a special chemical of sorts-"

"Called _Serpturamatres. Serpturamatres _is scorpion, cobra, poison ivy oils, and other various deadly natural venoms mixed with espada blood, shinigami blood, and a handful of other…otherworldly ingredients that seem to block the soul from the body," Urahara explained, throwing a glance to the corner at the word _otherworldly. _

"Therefore, even at the level of connection Captain Hitsugaya has with Hyourinmaru, it would be nearly impossible - a 0.00000000009% chance- that he would recover normally. Unless of course, certain…_ otherworldly _factors were added."

Once again, his gaze traveled to the corner, and Yuuko merely smirked.

At this time, Yamamoto cut it. "For instance, a wish with a price?"

Urahara nodded. "Exactly."

Yamamoto nodded, dismissing them both.

Kisuke tipped his hat, and then strolled out the door, Kurotsuchi following close behind.

Yamamoto pondered for a while. Then, two hands came slamming down onto his desk. "Well, are you going to finish reading that letter?" Yuuko asked slyly. He grunted in reply.

_The espada I sent was equipped with something…very special. At about this time, I'm sure dear Kurotsuchi will kindly inform you on what exactly that thing was. _

_You might be wondering: why would I go to such lengths? Why should I even risk my peaceful life so far to simply play a little game? _

_The reason for that is just a little heads up. Just a little warning to what I can do, and what I WILL do. I will give you one chance, one chance only to surrender. _

_Will you do it?_

_Your answer will either save the lives of those in Soul Society, or destroy it. _

_Which one will you choose?_

_Aizen Souske_

Yamamoto snorted. What did that man take him for, a fool? Of course he wouldn't surrender, for even if he did, the probability that Aizen would wreck Soul Society was extremely high.

As he read over the last few lines, a bit of doubt entered his mind. Aizen said he wanted an answer. But, how would he know what Yamamoto decided? Were there special listening devices hidden inside his office? Finally, he looked up, coming to a conclusion.

"You. You're his messenger, aren't you?" Yamamoto asked accusingly, although he didn't quite know why.

Yuuko shrugged. "And what of it? It's not like he could stroll in here and ask you for your answer, could he? After all, no matter how evil he may seem to you, even Souske has his pride, no?"

Yamamoto snorted, gnarled fingers running over the words once more. Yuuko decided it was time to leave. "And your answer?" she prompted.

"I will not surrender, and you can tell Aizen to go to Hell."

A smirk made its way onto Yuuko's lips, and her black eyes glimmered dangerously. "Whatever you say."

She didn't ask for a confirmation. The look on the Captain-Commander's face was all she needed. Without warning, Yuuko suddenly shimmered and then, in a flash of black light, disappeared.

Before Yamamoto could even draw in another breath, the door to his office burst open. In the doorway stood a messenger, panting heavily.

"Reporting in, sir! There are extremely powerful hollows in Karakura Town, close to Kurosaki Ichigo! Or, Vasto Lordes, to be exact!"

* * *

For the second time in a week, Hitsugaya Toshiro awakened in the sterile white room of the hospital. The room was unbearably hot; he had no idea why.

Over the course of the next few days, he healed, slowly. It was quite peaceful actually, the only breaks occurring when his lieutenant brought him news of the place. And when Ukitake managed to get through the ultra security (Toshiro thought the white-haired captain must have done something pretty bad) just to bring him lots and lots of candy.

"So, Toshiro, just get better, mmkay?" Ukitake declared, setting down the thirtieth candy bag. Toshiro sighed and rolled his eyes. Whatever.

Life was quite peaceful during that time, and he actually thought nothing would really happen. So one day, when Rangiku came rushing in, Toshiro though nothing of it.

"Captain, captain! There are reports of two high level Arrancar in Karakura Town, and the Sou-Taicho wants to organize a group of people to keep things under control! "

Immediately, his eyes flashed. "I'm going."

"But Captain! You aren't fully healed yet! You'll…" her voice trailed off when she met his cold blue eyes. "Captain…are you sure…?"

"Of course I am." And with that, he slipped off the cot and grabbed his haori. "Matsumoto, tell Captain Unohana I'm checking out." And he stalked out of the room to change.

After a whole lot of arguing and pleading and promising that he would be extra careful, Hitsugaya finally stepped out of the hospital, taking a deep breath of clean, fresh air.

In the end, he was taking a group of five including himself. This squad consisted of: him, Rukia, Matsumoto, Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika.

Apparently, this was Matsumoto's plan all along. Rukia was chosen because she knew Ichigo the best, Renji was very close to Rukia so he tagged along, Renji was allowed to choose a buddy so he chose Ikkaku, and since Ikkaku was coming, Yumichika wouldn't say no, and they just happened to pass by Matsumoto on their way out. Rangiku wasn't backing down, but then, Yamamoto said they needed a captain to come with them.

So Matsumoto went to tell her captain about it, knowing all along that he would want to go. It also took a considerable amount of persuading to let Unohana release Toshiro. (It was only because Toshiro was healing rapidly, and the healer thought that if they did fight, it wouldn't be for a longer time. She was wrong though.)

So, with his trust party trailing behind him, they departed for the World of the Living.

* * *

**A/N: Whew! Finally finished! I'm sorry that took me so long. It was going to be longer, and then I realized I would NEVER finish this chapter if I kept that part. So you'll just have to see next time. **

**Hope you liked this chapter, leave a review and tell me what you think!**


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